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Saturday, April 9, 2016

How Clean Is Your Home? Do You Have Nasty Secrets Hiding That You Aren't Aware Of?

Today a lot of people seem to think that Spring Cleaning is old fashioned and not needed anymore. After all, we have these modern homes with modern cleaning appliances and gadgets, special cleaning agents, and our homes are so different from years ago. Our heating and cooling systems are so much different than in bygone times. We don't need to Spring Clean like people used to.

My response to that is...Think again!

Today, just as much as years ago, we still need to super clean our houses every so often and Spring is one of the best times. It's a great way to start off the warmer seasons of the year.

But seriously, why? Why do we need to Spring Clean?

Our houses are much more airtight, comparatively speaking than house were in the past, but they also can’t breathe because they are so airtight. They’re full of chemicals and gases, from floor wax to the microfibers of carpets, that our ancestors never knew of or used. You'd be surprised how actually dirty just your walls are and you are breathing it all in!

But there are other and even more serious things that may be lurking in your homes and I know that from personal experience. When we first were married we bought a lovely old farmhouse that was built in 1875. We loved that house and stated renovating it right away. What we found was not fun. All through our house we had something that can cause a very serious cancer called Mesothelioma. The thing we had in our home from previous renovations and additions was Asbestos!

What's asbestos?

Asbestos is a heat-resistant fibrous silicate mineral that can be woven into fabrics, and is used in fire-resistant and insulating materials. it has been used in homes and businesses for over 100 years.

wrapped pipes flooring

ceiling insulation cement board siding

We discovered that not only did we have pipes covered with an asbestos based product, several of the rooms in the house had flooring that contained asbestos. To say the least I was concerned and we sought out experts to help us deal with it. Checking your home for asbestos is a very important thing to do. The majority of homes built before 1970 have asbestos in them in many different forms which could include linings around pipes, insulation in walls, ceilings and attics, roofing, siding, and vinyl flooring. Any and all asbestos in your home can contribute to the possibility of you or one of your loved ones contracting Mesothelioma.

So how do you go about Spring Cleaning and checking for asbestos? It's actually pretty easy. I've been using the same system for almost 30 years and it has worked really well for me and lot of other people I have shared it with. You can read more about it in a couple of my past blog posts HERE and HERE!

But you can also receive some very helpful information from the Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center. They have provided this fantastic graphic that you can copy and paste on to a paper for reference in helping you Spring Clean your home while being aware of things to look out for.

Cancer is a horrible disease and Mesothelioma is one of the worst forms of it. Make sure your home is safe for you and your family by checking for possible asbestos. Get help from an expert if you are concerned by checking with HomeAdvisor. They can connect you with an expert in your local area that can help you identify, remove or treat problems you might have with asbestos in your home.

Don't wait! Now is the best time to give your home a good healthy cleaning. Your health and the health of your family will benefit from it in more ways than one!

Have you ever found asbestos in your home. Tell us about it in the comments below!This is a public service post brought to you from the Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center. No compensation was giving for the sharing of this information.